Nozzle



April 27, 1937. F. J. R.,KAR| STRM NOZZLE Filed March 22, 1955 c f m/ LU W IN VENTOR.

a? ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr.Y 27, 1937 UNITED. STATES NOZZLE Fredrik Johan RobertKarlstrm, Stockholm, Sweden, assignor to Electrolux Corporation, Dover,Del., a corporation oi.' Delaware Application March 22, 1935, Serial No.12,386 In Germany March Z6, 1934 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to' vacuum cleaners and more particularlyto an improved cleaningtool or nozzle for use in connection with avacuum cleaner unit.

Still more particularly the invention relates to an improved cleaningtool provided with a rotary brush member driven by the air streampassing through the tool. Such a tool is intended primarily for cleaningwithin narrow spaces, such as for instance between the sections of steamradiators or the like, but obviously may be used for cleaning otherobjects.

The objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description l5 considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawing which forms a part of this speciflcation and of which:

Fig. 1 is a view of a vacuum cleaner unit to which a nozzle inaccordance with the present invention is connected by means of a hose;

Fig. 2 is a view, chiey in cross-section, of one embodiment of theinvention;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

5 Fig. i is a view, partly in cross-section, of

anoth'g'e embodiment of the invention;

Fig.`5 is an end view of the device show'n in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View of a still fur- -30 ther embodiment ofthe invention; and

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 'I-'I of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing, reference character I0 designates generally avacuum cleaner unit of well known type, which is provided with acasihg'having therein a dust separating member and a motor-fan unit forproducing flow of air therethrough. The air is drawn into the cleanerthrough a exible hose II, to the other end of which Various types ofcleaning nozzles may be attached. Reference character I2 designatesgenerally a cleaning nozle in accordance with the present invention,which is attached to hose II.

Reference character I3 designates a room heat- I5 ing radiator which, asis` well known, comprises a plurality of spaced sections. The nozzle I2is adapted to be inserted between the sections to remove dirt which hasthere collected.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3,

'0 reference character I4 designate-s a hollow body member formed with agenerally cylindrical portion I5 and a flattened portion I6. Portion I5comprises a slightly tapered part II, which is adapted to frictionallyreceive the connecting i5 member' on the end of hose II, and a conicalmember.

portion I8 in which are rigidly secured turbine guide vanes I9, whichare integral with a hub member 20. Obviously, part I8 need not beconical, but could be cylindrical, for instance. Member 20 forms abearing for a rotatably 5 mounted shaft 2|, to one end of which a rotor22 is secured adjacent to guide vanes I9. As is shown, the guide vanesare a part of a casting, while the rotor is a stamping.

Flattened portion I6 is formed with a plul0 rality of suction inletopennigs 23. A wire screen or the like 24 may be placed within flattenedportion I6, so as to prevent the entrance of particles substantiallylarger than dust particles, which might interfere with the turbine.Screen 15 24 also prevents the drawing in of threads and the like, whichmight become entangled in the turbine rotor.

Flattened portion I6 is formed with cylindrical bearing support 25 forrotatably supporting a 20 sleeve 26 secured to, or integral with, shaft2|.

A brush 2l, comprising a central member 28 made of twisted wire andbristles 29 extending at right angles thereto, is removably securedWithin sleeve 26 of shaft 2|. wire 28 is secured to a split sleeve 30,split at 3|, which is made of resilient material. Sleeve 30 is adaptedto frictionally engage within sleeve 26. To assure the prevention ofrotation between these two parts, sleeves 26 and 3U are formedy 30 withengageable beads 32 and 33, respectively.

'Ihe operation of the above described device is as follows:

When the nozzle I2 is connected to a vacuum cleaner unit, as is shown inFig. 1, and the motorfan unit of the cleaner is operated, air is drawnin through the inlet openings 23 in the nozzle and passes through theturbine guide vanes I9, where it is directed so as to act mosteiilciently -upon the turbine rotor 22, thereby imparting 40 rotation tothe latter. This air then passes through the hose II to the cleanerunit, from which it is discharged through an outlet opening. Rotation ofthe rotor 22 causes similar rotation of shaft 2| and the brush 2'Isecured to 45 the end thereof. If the brush is placed in contact with adusty' surface, such as the surfaces of the sections of radiator I3, therotation of the brush dislodges dirt which is drawn into the nozzlethrough the openings 23, from whence it is'carried to the cleaner unitI0 and separated from the air stream by the dust separating Due to thenarrowness of the space between sections of a radiator, 4it isimpossible to manipulate a nozzle therein so as to pass the For thispurpose, twisted 25 y suction opening cr openings thereoi directly overthe surface to be cleaned. However, brush 21 stirs up the dust and it isimmediately drawn into openings 23. l

By arranging the bristles at right angles to the axis of rotation of thebrush. their greatest striking effect is obtained. That is to say, thebristles are at right angles to the surfaces being cleaned vand hencemore force is required to deflect them than if they are at an inclinedangle to the surface. Moreover, the length of the bristles necessary toform a brush of a given diameter is less if the bristles extend straightout at right angles to the axis of the brush than if they extend at aninclined angle thereto, and, inasmuch as shorter bristles offer moreresistance to bending, a brush so constructed is stiffer than one withinclined bristles, and when rotated, the bristles strike the surfacewith greater force.

Ii.' it is desired to use the nozzle without the rotating brush, thelatter may be readily removed by simply pulling it to the left, asviewed in Fig. 2, whereupon split sleeve 30 may be pulled out of -sleeve26 and the brush disconnected from shaft Thereafter, the shaft will ofcourse be ro-.

2|. tated by the rotor 22, but this will have no effect upon thecleaning action of the tool.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 4 and 5, attened portion I6 is formedwith a single opening 34 bounded by diverging lips 35. Brush 21comprises a central wire member 28 and bristles 36 which are secured towire 28 at an angle thereto, so as to be substantially parallel todiverging lips 35. The lips extend close enough to the brush so that airpassing therebetween attains a comparatively high velocity. As isclearly shown in Fig. 4, brush 21 is located partly within opening 34.This opening may be protected by means of a wire screen o`r the like 31,which may be removable, although the `rotation of the outer end 'ofbrush 21 tends to impart sufficient centrifugal force to heavy objectsso as to throw them away from opening 34 and thus prevent theiradmission into the nozzle.

The turbine arrangement of the embodiment shown in' Figs. 4 and 5 may besimilar to that shown in Fig. 2, and hence has not been illustrated. Thebrush end of the shaft is supported in sleeve 26 rotatably mounted inbearing support 25 and the brush may be removable in the same manner asillustrated in Fig. 2.

'I'he operation of this embodiment is similar to that previouslydescribed, except that 'the full benet of having the bristles extendingat right angles to the axis of rotation is not obtained.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 and '7, a planetary reduction gearingis employed between the rotor and the shaft 2|, in order to obtain morepower for rotating the brush. In this embodiment a sleeve 40 is securedwithinthe fiattened portion i6 and serves to support a member 4| havinga circular internal race 42. Stationary turbine guide vanes 43A areintegral with member 4| and serve to aid in supporting member 4| Withincylindrical portion i5. A spider 44 is secured to shaft 2| within race42 and has rotatably mounted thereon 'a plurality of rollers 45. Theserollers are preferably faced with a friction material 46, such asrubber. These rollers engage and roll around within race 42. Rollers 45also .engage a sleeve 41, rotatably mounted on shaft 2|. A turbine rotor48 is rigidly secured to sleeve 41. A flexible coupling member 49, ofrubber or the like, is employed to connect the nozzle to the 'A end ofhose Il and replaces conical part l1 of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2.IThe left hand end, as viewed in Fig. 6, of the nozzle may beconstructedin accordance with the embodiment shown in either Fig. 2 or Fig. 4.

The operation of the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is as follows:

Air drawn into the nozzles is directed by stationary guide vanes 43, soas to strike the guide vanes of rotor 48 and impart rotation thereto.Sleeve 41 is rigidly secured to rotor 48, and hence rotates therewith..The rotation of sleeve 41, which engages rollers 45, causes the latterto rotate about their axes. and also to roll around within race 42. Thislatter motion causes spider 44 to be driven in rotation and hence torotate shaft 2|. Due to the difference in diameter between sleeve 41 andrace 42, a substantial reduction in speed occurs between the turbinerotor and the shaft. The arrangement constitutes a planetary reductiongearing between the rotor and the shaft, and also constitutes a rollerbearing for supporting the turbine end of shaft 2|.

While there have been shown three more or less specific embodiments ofthe invention, it is to be understood that this has been done forpurposes of illustration only, and that the scopel of the invention isto be limited only by the ap pended -claims when viewed in the light ofthe prior art.

What is claimed is: l

l. A suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner including a hollow body memberhaving a cylindrical portion and a flattened portion, said iiattenedportion being formed with a suction inlet opening whereby cleaning maybe accomplished in narrow spaces, a shaft rotatably mounted within saidmember, a turbine within the cylindrical portion of said member forrotating said shaft,

and a brush connected to said shaft adjacent to said inlet opening andhaving flexible bristles extending laterally beyond said flattenedporion.

2. A suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner including a. hollow body memberhaving a cylindrical portion and a iiattened portion, said flattenedportion being formed with a suction inlet opening whereby cleaning maybe accomplished in narrow spaces, a shaft rotatably mounted within saidmember, a turbine within the cylindrical portion of said member forrotating 'said shaft, and a brush connected to said shaft, said brushbeing located wholly outside said member and adjacent to saidinletopening and having flexible bristles extending laterally beyond saidiiattened portion.

3. A suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner including a hollow body memberhaving a cylindrical portion and a flattened portion, said flattenedportion being formed with a suction inlet opening whereby cleaning maybe accomplished in narrow spaces, a Ashaft rotatably mounted within saidmember, a turbine within the cylindrical portion of said member forrotating/said shaft, and a brush connected to said shaft, said brushbeing located wholly outside said member and adjacent to said inletopening and including flexible' bristles mounted at right angles to theaxis of revolution of said shaft, said bristles extending laterallybeyond said flattened portion.

4. A suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner including a rhollow body memberhaving a cylindrical portion and a flattened portion, said flattenedportion being formed with a suction inlet opening bounded by diverginglips whereby cleaning may be accomplished in narrow spaces, a shaftrotatably mounted in said member, a turbine within the cylindricalportion of said member for rotating said shaft, and a brush connected tosaid shaft within said opening and having flexible bristles extendinglaterally beyond said flattened portion.

5. A suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner including a hollow body memberhaving a cylindrical portion and a flattened portion, said flattenedportion being formed with a suction inlet opening bounded by diverginglips whereby cleaning may be accomplished in narrow spaces.a shaftrotatably mounted in said member, a turbine within the cylindricalportion of said member for rotating said shaft, and a brush connected tosaid shaft within said opening, said brush comprising iiexible bristlesarranged in the form of a cone the side of which is substantiallyparallel to said diverging lips, said bristles extending laterallybeyond said flattened portion.

6. A suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner including a hollow body memberhaving a cylindrical portion and a flattened portion, said flattenedportion being formed with a suction inlet opening whereby cleaning maybe accomplished in narrow spaces, a shaft rotatably mounted within saidmember, a turbine within the cylindrical portion of said member forrotating said shaft. a brush connected to said shaft adjacent to saidinlet opening and having flexible bristles extending laterally beyondsaid flattened portion, and screening over said inlet opening, saidbrush being outside of said screening and said turbine being 7. 4Asuction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner including a hollow body memberformed with a suction inlet opening adjacenttoone end thereof, acylindrical race mounted within said member, a rotatable shaft, a spidersecured to said shaft within said race, planetary members rotatablymounted on said spider and engaging said race, a sleeve rotatablymounted on said shaft and having torque transmitting engagement withsaid planetary members, a turbine rotor secured to said sleeve,stationary turbine guide vanes mounted in said hollow member adjacent tosaid rotor, and a brush connected to said shaft adjacent to said inletopening.

8. A suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner including a hollow body memberformed with a suction inlet opening adjacent to one end thereof, acylindrical race mounted within said member, a rotatable shaft, a spidersecured to said shaft Within said race, planetary members rotatablymounted on said spider and engaging said race, a sleeve rotatablymounted on said shaft and having torque transmitting engagement withsaid planetary members, a turbine rotor secured to said sleeve,stationary turbine guide vanes secured to said race adjacent to saidrotor, and a brush connected to said shaft adjacent to said inletopening.

9. A suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner including a hollow body havinga cylindrical portion and a flattened portion, said cylindrical portionbeing adapted to be connected to a source of suction, said flattenedportion being formed with a suction inlet opening whereby 'cleaning maybe accomplished in narrow spaces, a shaft rotatably mounted in saidmember and extending within both said cylindrical and hollow portions, aturbine within said cylindrical portion for rotating said shaft, and abrush connected to said shaft adjacent to said inlet opening, said brushincluding a central rigid portion having a diameter not greater than thethickness of said flattened portion and flexible bristles carried bysaid central portion and having a lateral extent greater than thethickness of said flattened portion.

FREDRIK JOHAN ROBERT KARLSTRM.

